BOSTON - The 2014 Red Sox infield is 75 percent unclear, but unless he is traded, the future of Will Middlebrooks will be determined by only one person - himself.

Shortstop Stephen Drew could leave as a free agent. The Red Sox want to sign first baseman Mike Napoli, but he is drawing interest from other teams as well.

The only set infield position is second base, where Dustin Pedroia has undergone successful thumb surgery and expects to be ready by spring training. Drew's exit would clear the way for Xander Bogaerts to play shortstop.

Nor will he play first base if Napoli leaves in free agency. Middlebrooks is much closer to losing his spot altogether (if he has not already) than to having the team accommodate a position switch, just to keep him in the lineup.

Middlebrooks hit 17 homers in 94 games last year. That projects to nearly 30 homers over a full season.

He was so maddeningly inconsistent, though, that when his average fell to .194 in June, the Red Sox sent him to Triple A in June.

Even in a bad year, Middlebrooks' .425 slugging percentage ranked 13th among third baseman in baseball - in other words, in the upper half.

Bogaerts played well enough to tempt questions of whether third base was his best position. But his natural spot has been shortstop, and replacing Drew there would reopen third base for Middlebrooks, who is still only 25.

Youkilis did not become a starter until he was 27. Giving up on Middlebrooks after one bad year could be a huge mistake of haste.

Ben Cherington has shot down suggestions that the 6-foot-3 Middlebrooks could replace Napoli at first base. The Red Sox general manager pointed out that just several months ago, Middlebrooks was considered one of baseball's rising stars at third base.

Cherington said moving such a player should not be pursued unless team needs urgently demanded it. In Boston's case, they don't.

Trading him seems unlikely, but the organization's glut of young talent and potential on the left side means it cannot be dismissed.

Third baseman Garin Cecchini could be at Fenway sometime in 2014. Shortstop Deven Marrero could arrive by 2015, or possibly even late next season.

That could affect whether Bogaerts plays shortstop or third base. It could also affect whether Middlebrooks plays in Boston or is traded.

The Red Sox can live with strikeouts if walks are part of the package, but Middlebrooks fanned 26 percent of the time. He neither walks nor works counts very well, explaining an unimpressive on-base percentage of .271.

It is believed Middlebrooks could play first base adequately, but he has never done it. Napoli's surprising development was a reminder of the value of defense at first base.

Napoli's exit could cause Cherington to reconsider his view of Middlebrooks at first base, but that looks unlikely. Third base will be his spot in Boston - if he performs well enough to have a spot at all.